Callamanus

[cale262]

I have a tank infested with Callamanus, I've tried the common cures (PraziPro, Metronidazole, anti-parasitic foods, etc.) with no luck, the only thing I've found (via a UK aquaria forum) that has given any positive results is a product called Panacur, it's a dewormer used on farm animals etc... My plan is to give it a shot as nothing else has helped so far but neither of my local vets will sell it to me! Same story "We can't sell it to you without first examining the animal...and we don't treat aquarium fish..." Very frustrating....

So the real questions are,

1) Has anyone had any luck with treating callamanus?

2) If so, with what method of treatment?

3) and finally, Does anyone know where I can buy Panacur in Canada?

TIA,

Brian

Edited March 6, 2009 by cale262

[Oneiroid]

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/callamanus-worm.html

[Blue Ram]

You need to get yourself some levasimole. It will kill all of the parasites. If you're fish are not too far gone, they should recover. Levasimole is very difficult to get. Try "mykiss" who is a member of bcaquaria.com. He can express mail it to you.

[cale262]

Thanx for the quick replies, I'll drop mykiss a line on BCA and see if he has any Levasimole FS ATM...

thanx again,

B

[cale262]

Well I just received the Levamisole HCI from "mykiss" on the BCA BB, he shipped it yesterday and I just finninshed treting the tank with the initial dose, should start to see results in a few days >cross fingers<

Thanx all for the help :thumbs:

[Blue Ram]

You can actually see the worms dying and leaving the fish's body within minutes of adding the medication. Make sure you do a large water change - do not leave the medication in the tank any longer than 24 hrs. A second dose should probably be done after a couple of weeks.

[Oneiroid]

mykiss proabably already gave you these instructions, but for anyone else looking to try this treatment:

First do as large of a water change as you can without stressing the fish and make sure you do a gravel vacuum. Clean your gravel as much as you can as there may be baby worms in it. Treat the tank with the medication. Each 5 gram packet treats 88 gallons of water. So, when you get a 5 gram packet, add 88 ml of water to it and each 1ml of medication will treat 1 gallon of tank water. Try to keep the lights off when possible as the medication is light sensitive (from what I've been told).

Continue with the regular feedings and don't do another water change for at least 2 days. Then, on the third or fourth day you can do another major water change. I'd wait for at least 1 month before I treat the tank again as you may not get all the worms in the first shot e.g. hiding in the gravel.

You will notice that within the first or second day, those fish that are infected will have the worms slowly sticking further out from the fish's anus. They will soon be expelled and drop to the gravel. The expelling process may take upto 4 days. That's one of the reasons why you want to make sure you do a good gravel clean when you do the second water change.

I'd suggest doing 2 doses especially if you have gravel in the tank.

Keep in mind for each 5g packed, you'd want to add 88ml of water. Then, for each gallon of fish tank to treat, you'd only have to add one ml of medication.

[Fish_Frenzy]

If you have more than one tank, be sure to treat any and all tanks that may share gravel vacs, buckets, nets with the levimisole as well as all accessories. All it takes to spread these nasty worms is a few drops of contaminated water or a shared net, vac...

Tammy